This invention relates to a system which enables a personal computer to be used in a financial environment which requires encryption/decryption of data and includes peripherals like a magnetic stripe reader, passbook printer, and keyboard, for example. The system includes a serial bus interface which provides the link between the serial-bus-based peripherals and the personal computer which contains financial application software to be run.
In recent years, there has been a trend to extend the use of personal computers to areas not normally thought of as typical uses for them. One of the problems with typical personal computer environments is that they are not capable of handling secure data in financial environments which require the use of peripherals of the type mentioned earlier herein. Also many of the personal computers as used do not provide for multi-tasking operations in a financial environment.